The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-06-16
THE CROPS IN THE STATE.
How They Appear to the Correspondents
of the Departme ent of Agriculture.

OF the Department of Agriculture.
The Department of Agriculture ha
received 246 special reports from it,
township correspondents regarding th'
crops, OF an average dato of June |, O.
which the following is summary:
| COTTON.
The crop is from two to three weeks
earlier, and stands better than last year
The crop is clean and growing rapidly,
and is now verging to limb and square,
and looks vigorous and healthy. 1t has
not been decreased in acreage-reported
at SO per cont
The condition is reported in uppcl
Carolina at 102 per cent. middle Caro-
lima 102, and in lower Carolina 100. Al
average for the State Of 101 per cent
This is above the condition at the same
period in 1882, 1883, and in 1884, when
it was reported at 9G, and in 1886 at sc
per cent, showing that the crop is in q
better condition than for q period OF
years.
The growth Of corn was somewhat re-
tarded by the dry weather in April and
early May, but recent rains in nearly
every section of the State has improved
its condition worry much. 1t is good on
sandy and bottom lands.
Owing to tho favorable spring and alb
scncc from floods, tho bottom lands have
been better prepared and planted earlier
than usual.
Correspondents estimate tho crop on
bottoms at % per cent, and on uplands
Mt 72 per cent.
The condition of the crop in upper
Carolina on bottoms 80, on uplands at
100; IN middle Carolina on bottoms 80,
on uplands 9S; in lower Carolina 81 on
bottoms, on upl0nds 90; making an
average for the State, on both bottoms
and uplands, 81 per cent, against S3 per
cent compared to the crop of last year
WHEAT AND OATS.
Wheat and fall sOwn oats were injured
by freezes, the former littlo and the
latter very much; but where the oats
wcro too thin for Il stand thoy werc re-
sown III early spring.
The correspondents report that the
crop Will yield much better than expected,
the recent rains having very much i'm
prove. the condition of the crop. Har-
Yestlng has commenced in some localities.
The condition of both crops is re-
ported at 81 per cent. for wheat and 81
per cent, for oats, against rs per cent.
III StGh ltSI year.
FERTILIZEES.
The amount Of commercial fertilizers
sold i'll the Stale for the past season, ~
IS shown by the books of the Depart,
mcnt, is less than the season of 1885 unL
1856. Correspondents report that the
following percentage of commercial fer
ed, 46; acid phosphate, .i3; kninit, l2
| cnnnN1pDlS hnf
chased was used Tor composing, ant
that II per cent. of kainit was used thi
year as compared to 1886.
GENERAL SUMMARY
Last year it was estimated that l9 pcl
cent. less farm supplies was purchased
than III 1888, and this year l6 per cent.
more than last, still making decrease
of 3 per cont. less than III 1880. This
increase is due to frcshcts, which de-
strOyed the entire corn crop on the bot
toms, forcing farmers to buy ut the be-
ginning of tho season.
But our farmers are cheerful, hopeful
and Duoyant, and do not complain. And
whom 1t Is rccOllcctCd that less fertilizers
has been purchased, labor cheaper and
the crop cultivated ut less cost up to this
tlmo than any crop for years, they have
some reasons for rejoicing. Labor in
nearly every locality has been more
plentiful.
Tho failure of the crop last year taught
them to prepare for the worst, and, rs
one correspondent puts it: "Ihcy hold
thor own wonderfully; most Of them
started with nothing and still have it.
RICE.
The reports from nearly every section
OF the State is at this timo favorable for
good crop, but there are SO many
drawbacks in the production Of the rice
crop that the present estimates my be
very much changed before tho maturity
OF the crop. Tho condition is reported
at 81 against 02 i'll 1885, and 80 in 1886.
OTHER CROPS.
Tho condition of sorghum and sugar
cane IS reported good. Correspondents
estimate that the acreage has been in-
creased. Condition of sorghum and
sugar cane each 98 against 81 for both
crops last year.
The estimated increase in acreage Of
tho sweet potata is placed at 2 per cent,
or lOl for the State, and condition ut 80
per cent.
The acreage Of Irish potatoes has
been reported | per cent. decrease, and
the condition for the State 81 per cent,
the same as laat year.
Tho prospects for the fruit crop of
nearly I'LL Kinds arc not encouraging.
Apples, peaches and pears were badly
injured by the cold winds i'll carl,
spring. Th" grape ana berry crops are
reported "a very promising. Che Goa
dluon Of fruit is reported as follows:
apples, 80; peaches, rs; pears, 33;
grapes, 9S; berries, 49, The condition
OF garden products ls reported at 96 pei
ccnt. IBalnht IS last year.
Out OF two hundred and twenty three
correspondents reporting the state OF
the weather, lIG report good, 70 fair
and Z bad, showing that tic seasons
have been prOpitiUus for the growing
crOp@.
THERE is an old notion that fish is a
good brain food, but an article by w. O
AtWatcr in the June number of the Cen
tury Magazine goes far to destroy what
faith there might have been in such no
ton. lie declares that there is no proof
Of any exceptional abundance Of phos-
ph0ruS III fish. On the contrary. he
argues that an extended series of analyses